Reporter confronts drunk football fans shouting sexual abuse during her live broadcast
One fan defended it as something that 'happens in England'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A sports reporter in Canada has finally confronted drunk football fans who interrupted her live broadcast to take part in a sexist online craze – and her actions could now see others who do so arrested.
The trend, which has infuriated broadcasters around the world and saw Sky Sports News abandon whole sections of its transfer deadline day coverage, involves fans moving in front of the camera and shouting “f*** her right in the p****”.
CityNews reporter Shauna Hunt was conducting interviews outside a Toronto FC game on Sunday when she stopped to question some men taking part in the prank, telling them: “I’m sick of this, I get this 10 times every single day.”
One fan, who attempted to justify his actions by saying the phrase was “substantial”, asked: “Are you really filming this?”
And when told by Ms Hunt that “it’s a disgusting thing to say, it’s degrading to women,” he replied: “When else are you going to do it?”
Another man, wearing an Arsenal shirt, claimed shouting the phrase to camera was fine because it “happens in England”, and said that if his mother found out he was doing it she would “die laughing, eventually”.
Ms Hunt’s objection is receiving some viral attention of its own and has been viewed thousands of times on YouTube.
But perhaps more significantly, it could see others who take part in the meme arrested on potentially numerous grounds of “breach of the peace, harassment and sexual harassment”.
CityNews said Calgary police was prepared to press charges, and that the force had contacted broadcasters in the city telling them: “We had a legal opinion obtained and have concluded this activity constitutes grounds for a charge and arrest.”
The station’s Adrian Ghobrial hailed the news, saying: “For my female colleagues and female reporters and journalists across North America, it’s sexual harassment and it’s disgusting and needs to stop.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments